Process for precooling hydrogen for liquefaction using external liquid nitrogen and high pressure gaseous nitrogen
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsMichael A. TURNEY, Alain GUILLARD, Bobby CHAN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydrogen feed stream is introduced into a primary refrigeration system of a precooling system and cooling the hydrogen stream to a first precooling temperature. From there, the precooled hydrogen stream is then introduced to a secondary refrigeration system of the precooling system and cooling the precooled hydrogen stream to a second temperature. Next, the cooled hydrogen stream is then liquefied in the liquefaction system to produce liquid hydrogen. The refrigeration is provided by expansion of a pressurized gaseous nitrogen stream and vaporization of a liquid nitrogen stream that is sourced from a nearby air separation unit.
Claims13
A method for liquefaction of hydrogen in a hydrogen liquefaction unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing a hydrogen stream into a precooling system under conditions effective for cooling the hydrogen stream to a temperature of between about 70K and about 100K, more preferably between about 80K and about 90K to produce a cooled hydrogen stream, wherein the precooling system comprises a primary refrigeration system and a secondary refrigeration system;
- introducing the cooled hydrogen stream to a liquefaction system under conditions effective for liquefying the cooled hydrogen stream to produce liquid hydrogen;
- and
- withdrawing the liquid hydrogen from the liquefaction system,
- wherein the primary refrigeration system provides refrigeration by expansion of a pressurized gaseous nitrogen stream that is sourced from an air separation unit,
- wherein the secondary refrigeration system provides refrigeration by vaporization of a liquid nitrogen stream that is sourced from the air separation unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.